Get Uncomfortable!

The grass is bright green and the temperatures are cooler so it must be the start of another golf season in Arizona! There is no better time than the beginning of a season to set new goals for your game.

Rarely will you find a golfer who says they are happy with the state of their game, but just as rarely will you find a golfer truly willing to make the changes they need to make to get significantly better. Why is that? Because there is risk involved in change, but there is also the chance of great reward!

In many of my lessons I will diagnose the issues in a student’s swing and prescribe changes. In almost every case after I adjust their set up or grip or a position in their swing the comment I hear is, “That feels uncomfortable.” And, they are almost always shocked to hear me respond, “Great! It is supposed to feel uncomfortable!.” Why would I want my students to feel uncomfortable? Because, if it didn’t feel uncomfortable then it is not a big enough change for most golfers.

In fact, I tell them I want them to feel what I call “stand on your head different”.

The fact of the matter for most golfers is that if you just keep doing what you have always done you will never get any better. And, there is likely no little imperceptible change that will magically lower your scores. So, the only way to truly get better is to make a big change!

So this year, as the season starts, rather than buy a new driver or putter and hope it is a magic pill, challenge yourself to move outside of your comfort zone and commit to a drastic change in your game. Find an instructor who can craft an improvement and practice plan for you and really stick to it. And, when you find yourself struggling a bit and you want to fall back into what is comfortable, fight that urge! Force yourself to stay uncomfortable until the change really takes hold and I promise you will be a better golfer for it.

Jeff Fisher is the Director of Instruction at the OB Sports Golf Academy at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona. Jeff can be reached at 480.414.9330 or jfisher@obsports.com.